Pure JesusSample

Jesus - Your Freedom and Forgiver

Live in Freedom

Nearly half of Americans rely on a car loan to purchase a car. I’ve had several car loans over the course of my life. I remember signing the loan paperwork for each of the cars. As soon as I had committed to pay the debt of my loan, I felt like I was carrying a large burden on my shoulders.  Each and every month for the period of sixty months, I had to make a payment toward that debt. There is nothing quite like the feeling when you pay off your car loan and receive the car title in the mail. Not having to pay that bill gives such a sense of freedom. I’m no longer indebted to someone; I’m free.

That’s the feeling I get when I read Ephesians 1:7 - In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God's grace. We don’t use the word “redeem” much in our modern vernacular. According to Dictionary.com, to redeem something means, “to buy or pay off; to clear by payment.” Someone redeems something when they pay the price for it. It also refers to buying back an item — or more specifically, a person — that would otherwise be lost, taken prisoner, or destroyed. 

The concept that Christ paid a price for my salvation is sobering. In Christ I am set free from the penalty of my sin which is death (Romans 6:23). When Christ died on the cross and shed His blood, our past, present, and future sins were paid for. We have the forgiveness of our sins through the payment of His blood. He paid the debt in full. A Christ-follower is freed from the debt of sin to live life to the fullest. As I look back over my life, I realize that there are so many things I’ve done that I wish I hadn’t done. Because Christ has set me free from the penalty of my sin, I no longer have to beat myself up for the wrong things I’ve done, said, or thought. I am forgiven. Christ has freed me from sin! That’s exciting.

The idea of “paying it forward” became popular after a movie by the same name. A 7th grader was given a social studies assignment to devise and put into action a plan that will change the world for the better. Essentially, the idea is that when something good happens to you, you share it by doing something good for someone else. In the movie, the requirement is to pay it forward to three other people. In our case, we have been forgiven of our sins through the grace of God by the blood of our Savior. We didn’t do anything for it; God has done something amazing for us. Then He asks that we pay that forgiveness forward to others. In the Lord’s Prayer Jesus says for us to pray “forgive us our sins, as we have forgiven those who sin against us.” (Matthew 6:12)  

Corrie ten Boom said, “Forgiveness is to set a prisoner free, and to realize the prisoner was you.” Isn’t that the truth? Many times, unforgiveness, resentment, and revenge keep us captive. Even though we’ve been freed from sin through Christ’s redemption, we keep ourselves chained up by not forgiving others. If you are living the wonderful freedom of forgiveness that comes from God, forgive others. Then you’ll be really free.